1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a garment for wear by a person being immersed in a liquid, and more specifically, this invention relates to a lightweight, non-absorbent, opaque, non-woven fabric gown or robe for wear by a person being baptized by total immersion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of religious denominations practice baptism by total immersion of the party in a tank of baptismal water. The garment worn by the party being baptized must meet the basic requirement of being sufficiently opaque to conceal the body of the wearer for modesty purposes. In addition, it is desirable that the garment be lightweight, easily put on and removed, and that it not cling to the body of the wearer in such a fashion as to outline the body. Also, the garment should be white in color, as white is the symbol of purity employed in this ceremony.
In order to achieve the desired opacity, prior art robes or gowns utilized in immersion baptisms have normally been of a thick material, such as a heavy cotton. While these gowns can provide the desired white color and the necessary opacity, they have many other failings. First of all, in order to achieve the desired opacity, the gown must be of a fairly thick material, which means that it is relatively heavy to begin with. Further, as these materials absorb considerable quantities of water, the garment is frequently uncomfortably heavy as the person emerges from the baptismal bath. The characteristic of water absorption also means that the gown tends to cling to the wearer, thus revealing the outline of the body which can cause some embarrassment. Still another disadvantage of these prior art gowns is that they must be laundered for subsequent wear, which not only causes expense and inconvenience, but it also means that the party being baptized wears a gown previously worn by someone else, which can cause some feelings of uneasiness for some people. In addition, until the gown absorbs sufficient water, the gown may tend to float on the water as the party descends into the baptismal bath and hence rise to immodest heights.
This latter problem is also one that plagues anyone attempting to use lighter weight materials, as the tendency to float is even greater. Further, if non-absorptive materials are utilized, this tendency to float is not overcome, as it would be in the case of a heavier water absorbing material. Also, in the case of lighter weight materials, overcoming the problem of the material tending to float still leaves the problem of air entrapped within the garment as the party descends into the baptismal bath, which causes the garment to expand or produce a "balloon" effect. Such an effect can, of course, create a somewhat ludicrous appearance which is undesirable in a serious ceremony of this sort.
Therefore, there is a very real need for a suitable gown for use in the considerably more than half a million full immersion baptisms that are performed in this country each year. Such a gown should be lightweight in order not to be a hindrance to the party being baptized. However, this lightweight gown or robe must be strong to prevent tearing, must be opaque to conceal the body of the wearer, should absorb little or no water so as to prevent an undesirable increase in the weight and to prevent clinging to the outline of the body, should be easy to put on and take off, should resist floating up as the wearer enters the baptismal bath, should prevent a "ballooning" effect from air entrapped within the gown, and should be disposable after being worn.